Foundation garment



Sept. 22, 1953 o. ALLEN FOUNDATION GARA/[ENT w. m m m Sept. 22, 1953 l.. o. ALLEN FOUNDATION GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May l2, 1951 m. m m m Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in foundation garments primarily adapted for retaining or holding in position the stomach and supporting the back and confining the hips.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a foundation garment which will embrace and conne the waist, giving a certain amountv of resiliency to the conning means for the waist, and in addition thereto to provide confining means for the thighs and hips.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for confining the thighs and hips in such a manner that ease of movement is provided, and a certain amount of resiliency is provided without the interposing in any part of the thigh and hip confining portion of resilient material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foundation garment having a pair of oppositely disposed crossed strips or binding portions, each of which can be formed of a continuous piece of material starting from the front, passing around the back, and being attached again to the front of the garment.

For the purpose of disclosing the invention, an embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the garment embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking toward the right, and

Fig. 4 is an elevation looking toward the left.

In the structure illustrated I provide a band I adapted to embrace the mid section of the body, covering the stomach in the front. This band is provided at the back with an elastic insert I I, and at the front is separable, being provided with a zipper closing means I2 to permit the wearer to step into the garment and pull the same up to its proper position.

This band is comparatively wide, being approximately wide enough to cover the abdomen and extend fairly well up the back. The tops and bottoms of the bands may be suitably reinforced by suitable reinforcing strips such as I3.

Extending from and passing to the front end of the band II] as at I4 is a hip confining strip I5, which at the front is secured, as at point I4, to the band and is of such width to extend below the band as at I6. This strip passes around across the back as at I'I and is brought around to the front, being secured at its end as at I8 to a similar confining strip I9. The strip I9 is secured to the front opening portion of the band I0 as at 2U and extends rearwardly and around, crossing the strip I5 forming a back portion 2I and this strip is brought around and fastened at the point 22 to the opposite edge of the first mentioned strip. Strips I'I and 2I are also secured to the band I0 at points I'I and 2| and thereby hold the belts or bands together when putting on the garment. A V-shaped elastic insert 23 is inserted between the adjacent edges of the strip to provide a certain freedom of movement at the lower portion. It is to be noted that the two crossover strips start as being comparatively wide at the front at the point where they embrace the abdomen, and gradually diminish in width as they pass around, until they are comparatively narrow at their opposite ends and at their fastening points. Furthermore, it is to be noted that each of these strips is formed of one continuous piece of material which is nonextensible.

Suitable stocking sustaining tabs 24 are secured to the bottom edges of the strips, the strips being fastened together at this point for greater strength. These tabs 24 are of the usual stocking clips and are arranged at the front. Similar stocking sustaining tabs 25 are secured at the rear edge of the strips, which are secured together at this point; and these tabs are for the purpose of supporting the rear portion of the stocking.

As a result of the construction above described I provide an embracing waistband having a certain amount of exibility therein, which waistband passes over the stomach or abdomen of the body. In addition thereto I provide thigh and hip confining strips which in themselves are inflexible, but which are so arranged that perfect freedom of movement is given to the wearer in all postures which may be assumed by the wearer.

The invention claimed is:

1. A foundation garment comprising a waistband, and a pair of oppositely extending auxiliary bands superimposed over said waistband, each auxiliary band being comparatively wide at one end and gradually diminishing in width towards its other end, each of said auxiliary bands being connected at its wider end to the front of said waistband and extending diagonally downwardly from one side thereof to the opposite side, the narrower ends of each of said auxiliary bands being secured to an adjacent portion of the other auxiliary band.

2. A foundation garment comprising a waistband having a back portion formed of flexible material, and a pair of oppositely extending auxiliary bands superimposed over and substantially encircling said waistband, each of said auxiliary bands being comparatively wide at one end and gradually diminishing in width towards its other and narrower end, each of said auxiliary bands being secured at its wider end to the front of said waistband and extending diagonally downwardly from one side thereof to the opposite side, the narrower ends of each of said auxiliary bands being secured to an adjacent portion of the other auxiliary band, and a flexible insert connecting the narrower ends of said auxiliary bands adjacent the front of said waistband.

3. A foundation garment comprising a waistband, and a pair of oppositely encircling auxiliary bands superimposed over said waistband, each auxiliary band being comparatively wide at one end and gradually diminishing in width towards its other and narrower end, each of said auxiliary bands being connected at its wider end to the front of said waistband and having a portion extending below said waistband, each of said auxiliary bands extending diagonally downwardly from its wider end to the opposite side of said waistband and being connected to a portion of said waistband at the rear thereof, the narrower ends of each of said auxiliary bands being secured to an adjacent portion of the other auxiliary band.

LENA O. ALLEN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

